Scottish Executive

Cancer

John Scott (Ayr) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to offer breast cancer screening services to all women whose mothers received diethylstilbestrol during pregnancy between 1941 and 1975.

Malcolm Chisholm: The NHS Scotland Breast Screening Programme provides routine breast screening every three years for women aged 50-64. Women below the age of 50, irrespective of whether or not they received diethylstilboestrol (DES) during pregnancy, are not routinely screened due to the density of their breast tissue which makes it difficult to detect problems.

  Some of those women whose mothers received DES during pregnancy between 1941 and 1975 will already be within the routine breast screening age range. However, any women irrespective of their age who has concerns, should seek advice from their General Practitioner (GP) and may be referred by their GP to the symptomatic breast service, where appropriate.

Children's Panels

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, for persons under 16 accused of an offence where, if that offence is proved, that person has committed 10 or more offences, what the average time was in days from (a) the incident to receipt of the case by the children’s reporter, (b) receipt of the case by the children’s reporter to a decision being taken to refer the case to a children’s hearing, (c) that decision to the children’s hearing and (d) the children’s hearing to disposal in each of the last three years for which figures are available.

Cathy Jamieson: The collation of statistical information on the children’s hearings system is the operational responsibility of the Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration (SCRA). The information requested is not held centrally.

  To date, Time Intervals data has been published only in broad offence/non-offence categories. The data relating to the years in question is available in SCRA’s Annual Reports in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. numbers 6161, 18780 and 20128).

Construction Industry

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what support it is giving to Scottish Enterprise Glasgow’s £25 million plan to tackle Glasgow’s construction skills shortage.

Iain Gray: The Scottish Executive has measures in place to reduce skills shortages in the construction industry. The Scottish Welfare to Work Task Force has established a construction sub-group to develop an appropriate construction industry training course for New Deal clients in Scotland. Futureskills Scotland and Careers Scotland have agreed to identify opportunities for careers and training in areas where skills are in demand. There are now almost 5,000 Modern Apprentices undergoing construction-related training in Scotland, of which over 1,200 are in Glasgow.

  In addition, Scottish Enterprise is taking forward a Modernising Construction initiative. Objectives include achieving radical improvements in construction industry skills.

  The proposal by Scottish Enterprise Glasgow is an operational matter for the Scottish Enterprise Network.

Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many fiscal fines, accepted as an alternative to prosecution under section 302 of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995, were outstanding on 31 March (a) 1998, (b) 1999, (c) 2000, (d) 2001 and (e) 2002, broken down by sheriff court district.

Mr Jim Wallace: The information requested is not held centrally.

Cycling

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it is making in the encouragement of cycling as a mode of transport.

Lewis Macdonald: We are making good progress towards our target of doubling the number of cycle journeys between 1996 and 2002. The latest figures show that the average annual number of journeys made per person by bicycle in Scotland increased from eight for the years 1995-97, to 14 for the years 1998-2000 ( Scottish Transport Statistics Number 21 , Table 12.1: Parliament’s Reference Centre Bib. number 23316).

Digital Technology

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many schools have had broadband connection in each year since 1999.

Nicol Stephen: Figures on broadband connections to schools are published in the Survey of Information and Communication Technology in Schools for the years 2000 and 2001. No figures are available for 1999 as the survey of that year did not seek information on broadband connections.

  Copies of both surveys are available online at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/bulletins/00128-00.asp and http://www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/bulletins/00193-00.asp respectively.

Dyslexia

Dr Sylvia Jackson (Stirling) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it is promoting early detection and intervention for children suffering from dyslexia.

Cathy Jamieson: The Scottish Executive is providing local authorities with over £8 million this year, and for the next three years, for the in-service development and training of classroom-based staff and others working with children with special educational needs (SEN), including dyslexia. The Scottish Executive asks local authorities, in considering their staff development requirements, to take account of training required in dyslexia.

  The Executive is also funding the Scottish Dyslexia Trust through the SEN Innovation Grants Programme 2002-04 to develop resource materials in a range of formats to help teachers and parents work effectively with children with dyslexia.

Education

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to milestone 9 of the Social Justice Annual Report: Scotland 2001 and, in particular, the information presented graphically in chart 9, what the average tariff scores in S4 were in figures for (a) all students, (b) the poorest-performing 20% and (c) the remaining 80%.

Nicol Stephen: The information requested is given on page 39 of the Social Justice Annual Report 2001: Indicators of Progress published by the Scottish Executive in 2001, a copy of which is available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 17777).

Education

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to the Social Justice Annual Report: Scotland 2001 , when it hopes to achieve the milestone 9 target to bring the poorest-performing 20% of pupils, in terms of standard grade achievement, closer to the performance of all pupils.

Nicol Stephen: Education authorities are being asked to set for the first time, via the School Improvement Framework, a target for the average tariff score of their lowest attaining 20% of pupils for academic year 2004-05. We will be monitoring progress against these local targets to assess progress in bringing the attainment of this group closer to the attainment of all pupils.

Education

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive why there are no targets relating to Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework level 6 or above under objective 3 in the education and young people section of Building a Better Scotland - Spending Proposals 2003-06: What the money buys .

Nicol Stephen: The emphasis is to ensure that as many pupils as possible obtain qualifications, and especially those who are currently leaving school without qualifications. The targets chosen for Building A Better Scotland – Spending Proposals 2003-2006: what the money buys are in line with the National Priorities in Education. The Executive is making significant investment available to raise standards across the education system as a whole, which will impact on attainment at all levels.

Education

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of the S4 cohort progressed to S5 and stayed on at school beyond December in each year since 1995.

Nicol Stephen: The following table shows the proportions of the S4 cohort who voluntarily stayed on at school beyond the minimum school leaving age (for publicly funded schools only):

  


Year 
  

Percentage of S4 Cohort 
  



1995-96 
  

68% 
  



1996-97 
  

68% 
  



1997-98 
  

68% 
  



1998-99 
  

68% 
  



1999-2000 
  

69% 
  



2000-01 
  

69%

Education

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of students staying on in S5 beyond December obtained at least one (a) SCE higher grade or (b) national qualification at higher level in each year since 1995.

Nicol Stephen: The following table shows the proportion of students voluntarily staying on in S5 who obtained at least one qualification at Scottish Credit and Qualifications Level 6 which includes SCE Higher and National Qualifications at Higher Level (for publicly funded schools only):

  


Year 
  

Percentage of Voluntary S5 Roll 
  



1995 
  

56% 
  



1996 
  

57% 
  



1997 
  

56% 
  



1998 
  

57% 
  



1999 
  

57% 
  



2000 
  

60% 
  



2001 
  

57%

Education

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many school-based candidates entered for examination in at least one (a) SCE higher grade or (b) qualification at Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework level 6 in each year since 1995.

Nicol Stephen: The following table shows the numbers of school-based candidates entered for an examination at SCQF Level 6 (for publicly funded schools only):

  


Year 
  

Number of Candidates 
  



1995 
  

49,619 
  



1996 
  

51,113 
  



1997 
  

52,704 
  



1998 
  

51,963 
  



1999 
  

50,982 
  



2000 
  

50,343 
  



2001 
  

48,995

Education

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many school-based candidates for examinations at SCE higher grade or Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework level 6 obtained a qualification in a language other than English in each year since 1995

Nicol Stephen: The following table shows the numbers of school-based candidates obtaining at least one qualification at SCQF level 6 in a language other than English (for publicly funded schools only):

  


Year 
  

Number of Candidates 
  



1995 
  

4,081 
  



1996 
  

3,949 
  



1997 
  

3,966 
  



1998 
  

4,088 
  



1999 
  

3,812 
  



2000 
  

4,317 
  



2001 
  

4,611

Education

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the total cost will be of implementing its Working together for Scotland: A Programme for Government commitment to reduce class sizes in primary 3 to 30 or smaller.

Nicol Stephen: The Working together for Scotland: A Programme for Government commitment to reduce class sizes in primary 3 was part of a wider commitment to reduce class sizes, in primary 1 to primary 3, to 30 or less. Between April 1999 and March 2002, £48.2 million was allocated to education authorities through the Excellence Fund to meet this commitment. It is not possible to identify the cost of reducing class sizes in primary 3 alone. Funding of £15 million a year is continuing for the current and next financial year.

Education

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many additional primary school teachers were employed in early primary education in order to implement the commitment given in Working together for Scotland: A Programme for Government to reduce class sizes in primary 3 to 30 or smaller and what assessment it has made of the cost of employing such teachers.

Nicol Stephen: The Working together for Scotland: A Programme for Government commitment to reduce class sizes in primary 3 was part of a larger commitment to reduce class sizes in primary 1 to primary 3. To assist authorities to reduce class sizes, £48.2 million was made available from April 1999 to March 2002. Authorities used these funds to employ teachers and undertake capital works.

  It is not possible to identify the number of teachers required to reduce class sizes in primary 3 alone. However, at 31 March 2002 authorities employed 441.54 FTE teachers under the class size reduction programme of the Excellence Fund.

Education

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many additional primary school classes were required in early primary education to implement the commitment given in Working together for Scotland: A Programme for Government to reduce class sizes in primary 3 to 30 or smaller.

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many classes in primary 3 were reduced in number by more than five children in order to meet the commitment in Working together for Scotland: A Programme for Government to reduce class sizes to 30 or smaller.

Nicol Stephen: The information requested is not held centrally.

Employment

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what specific action has been taken to offset recent job losses in South Ayrshire.

Iain Gray: I fully recognise the particular difficulties being faced by the wider Ayrshire economy, and am confident that local agencies will meet these challenges by working up a shared economic development strategy to boost the local economy and create jobs for local people. This strategy is currently being finalised by the Local Economic Forum and focuses on the key objectives of boosting the economy, developing the workforce and reducing unemployment.

Fire Service

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the views expressed by the Deputy Prime Minister on 22 October 2002 in the House of Commons on lack of necessity and justification for the firefighters’ industrial action.

Mr Jim Wallace: We are pleased that, through the intervention of the Deputy Prime Minister, the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) and the local authority employers are meeting again this week in the National Joint Council. We hope that the resumption of negotiations and the work of the Independent Review under Professor Sir George Bain will encourage the FBU to suspend their future planned industrial action and participate in the review process.

Fisheries

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps have been taken to consult the fishing industry on any proposals to impose new effort limitation measures.

Ross Finnie: Effort control has been on the table since December last year, when the European Commission published its draft regulation for a cod and hake recovery plan. We have received written comments from the industry, and we have discussed possible effort limitation with them in various official and ministerial meetings since then.

Fisheries

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what economic impact the closure of white fish grounds would have on the fish processing industry.

Ross Finnie: We intend to promote credible alternatives to widespread closure of our fishing grounds. The processing sector also has other sources of supply and is not wholly dependent on whitefish. Together, these should limit the economic impact on processors of any measures agreed by the Council of Ministers in December.

Further Education

Dr Sylvia Jackson (Stirling) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to meet the Association of Scottish Colleges and the EIS to discuss on-going industrial relations issues in the further education sector.

Iain Gray: I plan to meet the General Secretary of the EIS in the near future to discuss a range of issues, including industrial relations in the further education sector. I have also arranged to meet the Chairman and the Chief Executive of the Association of Scottish Colleges on 5 November; the agenda has still to be finalised.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the current position is with regard to the Technology Transfer Office for the NHS, and how any "innovative ideas" suggested can be accessed by patients across Scotland, as referred to in section 2 of Our National Health: A plan for action, a plan for change .

Malcolm Chisholm: I am pleased to announce that the Technology Transfer Office is formally established today. It is owned jointly by Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise and will operate under the name of Scottish Health Innovations (SHI). A not-for-profit company limited by guarantee, SHI has been established with the sole aim of providing NHSScotland with the necessary support and expertise to identify, manage, protect and exploit its innovative technologies.

  The planning and funding of this initiative - which will total over £2 million over the next five years - has been a collaborative enterprise. The £1.3 million offer of funding from the Health Department's Chief Scientist Office will be supplemented by £450,000 from Scottish Enterprise, £150,000 from Highlands and Islands Enterprise and a further £425,000 won from the Department of Trade and Industry by a consortium of NHS bodies. Additionally, trusts will allow a proportion of the royalties gained from successful exploitation to be retained by SHI for further development and support of NHS technologies.

  Over time, the SHI website will become a shop window for Scottish NHS technologies, both for the benefit of commercial companies interested in licensing those innovations and for NHS researchers. In the more immediate future, it will be a valuable resource for sharing and disseminating such technologies within the NHS.

  The fulfilment of this white paper commitment is an important step in our aim of harnessing NHS innovation for the benefit of the health and the wealth of the people of Scotland.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how it is proposing to more effectively screen older people's health needs, as referred to in section 6 of Our National Health: A plan for action, a plan for change .

Malcolm Chisholm: This commitment was taken forward by the Chief Medical Officer’s Expert Group on the Health care of Older People. Its report, Adding Life to Years,  which we published in January 2002, makes a number of recommendations, including the need for a review of the routine health checks of the over 75s offered by primary care. The Scottish Executive Health Department is considering how best to take forward implementation of these recommendations.

  Our policy on this issue will take account of advice from the National Screening Committee (NSC), which is planning two workshops to review all the evidence on the subject, in particular the results which have just emerged from a large, comprehensive trial funded by the Medical Research Council on screening of older people. Because of the priority which we have been giving to this issue in Scotland, the NSC has decided to hold the first of its workshops in Edinburgh next month.

Historic Events

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the "marriage of the thistle and the rose" in 2003.

Mr Jim Wallace: Historic Scotland hosted an exhibition entitled The Thistle and the Rose at Stirling Castle from March to May this year, in conjunction with the National Archives of Scotland and supported by Scottish Widows. The exhibition marked the 500th anniversary of the Treaty of Perpetual Peace in 1502, which was underpinned by the marriage the following year of Scotland’s James IV to Margaret Tudor, the sister of Henry VIII. The exhibition illustrated the significance of that marriage to the history of the relationship between Scotland and England and the Executive has no separate plans to mark its 500th anniversary next year.

Hospitals

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that car parking charges at hospitals are affordable for patients, visitors and staff.

Malcolm Chisholm: The department expects NHS trusts to consult fully with staff and the public when considering the introduction, and subsequent operation of, car parking charges. Revised guidance is currently under consideration and consultation will be a feature of that guidance.

Interception of Communication

Gordon Jackson (Glasgow Govan) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when the annual report of the Interception of Communications Commissioner will be laid before the Parliament.

Mr Jack McConnell: A copy of the Report of the Interception of Communications Commissioner for 2001 has been laid before Parliament today in accordance with the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000. With the agreement of the Prime Minister, the confidential annex to the report, which contains sensitive information, has been excluded from the published report. Copies have been placed in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. number 24816).

  Interception of communications makes an important contribution to the way in which the police and other law enforcement agencies prevent and detect serious crime in Scotland. The commissioner's report makes clear that warrants have been issued by the Scottish ministers only where their use is absolutely justified or, in his words, "only in cases which properly fall squarely within the definition of serious crime and within the upper echelons of that definition".

Justice

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many district court fines were outstanding on 31 March (a) 1998, (b) 1999, (c) 2000, (d) 2001 and (e) 2002, broken down by district court.

Mr Jim Wallace: The information requested is not held centrally.

Local Government

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what is being done to encourage the local authorities that did not operate a direct payments scheme in 2001-02, as shown in table 5 of its statistics release, Financial Provision and Direct Payments, 2002 to now do so.

Mr Frank McAveety: The Executive is committed to promoting widespread use of direct payments. It has set up Direct Payments Scotland to work closely with local authorities and local support organisations to help them set up direct payments schemes in their area. This work involves increasing   local   awareness of direct payments and providing support and information as well as identifying and addressing training needs.

  Provisions in the Community Care and Health (Scotland) Act 2002 will place a duty on all local authorities to offer direct payments from 1 June 2003.

Local Government

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what powers of intervention it has and action it will take if a local authority refuses to participate in the direct payments scheme.

Mr Frank McAveety: The Community Care and Health (Scotland) Act 2002 will place a duty on local authorities to offer eligible people direct payments as an alternative to provision of community care services, from 1 June 2003.

  The Scottish ministers have existing powers under section 211 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 to cause an inquiry to be made if they receive complaints that a local authority has failed to perform its duty. We would hope, however, that it would not be necessary to use them and that local authorities will carry out their duties and offer direct payments to eligible people.

MMR Vaccine

Mr Kenneth Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will respond to the recommendations set out in the report of the MMR Expert Group.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Executive’s formal response, Implementing the recommendations of the MMR Expert Group , has been published today. Copies have been placed in the Parliament's Reference Centre. The report is also available on the Scottish Executive website.

Meningitis

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the First Minister whether there will be any measures put in place to extend inoculation against meningitis.

Mr Jack McConnell: Firstly, I am sure colleagues will join me in expressing my deepest sympathy for the families of the two girls who died in the East Kilbride area last weekend.

  Vaccination against meningitis C is already an important element of the childhood immunisation programme. Unfortunately, there is no vaccine against meningitis B, although I understand relevant research is on-going. For now, parents and health professionals should remain vigilant.

Mental Health

Mr Lloyd Quinan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to resolve the issues which have led to the recent situation in the provision of mental health services in Dumbarton, Vale of Leven and Helensburgh.

Malcolm Chisholm: NHS Argyll and Clyde is recruiting and taking the other action necessary to ensure that mental health services are available to meet health care needs in the area.

Mental Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether all children, young people and adults with learning disabilities now have access to local area co-ordinators that provide information, family support and funding, as referred to in section 6 of Our National Health: A plan for action, a plan for change .

Mr Frank McAveety: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-28050 on 27 August 2002. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Multiple Sclerosis

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action will be taken to ensure that people with multiple sclerosis assessed as likely to benefit from beta interferon will not be denied access to this treatment.

Malcolm Chisholm: NHS boards are in the process of implementing the UK-wide risk-sharing scheme. Details of the scheme can be found in the departments guidance HDL (2002) 6, a copy of which has been placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. Number 20653).

  NHS bodies are expected to fund any treatment within the scheme prescribed by clinicians for eligible patients.

National Cultural Strategy

Mr Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the implementation of the National Cultural Strategy is proceeding effectively.

Dr Elaine Murray: Yes. The Executive looks forward next month to publishing the 2nd Annual Report giving details of action to implement the National Cultural Strategy and progress achieved in the past year.

Ophthalmic Services

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding is available for the provision of computerised screening instruments for optometrists practising in the private sector.

Mr Frank McAveety: None. It is for optometrists as private business people to make a decision on the purchase of equipment based on the commercial activities they are carrying, or plan to carry, out on members of the public.

Ophthalmic Services

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made, or will make, to Her Majesty’s Government in relation to general ophthalmic service fees for updating reading corrections and annual monitoring of people with glaucoma and diabetes.

Mr Frank McAveety: I am unsure what the member is referring to by "reading corrections" but assume this may be a reference to the testing of sight. Increases in the NHS sight test fees are negotiated by the Department of Health, on behalf of the other Health Departments, the Optometric Fees Review Committee (for optometrists) and the British Medical Association (for ophthalmic medical practitioners).

  Where arrangements are made with an optometrist to monitor those with glaucoma and diabetes this is by way of a co-management scheme. The fees for optometrists involved in co-management schemes are agreed locally between the optometrists concerned and the NHS trust.

Ophthalmic Services

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to make greater use of private optometrists to reduce waiting times for a referral to a consultant for cataract surgery.

Mr Frank McAveety: NHS boards and trusts may establish co-management schemes, whereby appropriately trained high street optometrists screen patients on behalf of hospital ophthalmology departments and refer the patient on to the department concerned when the patient's condition has reached an appropriate stage for surgery, or when specialist advice is needed. Screening of the progress of cataracts in-patients is one of several types of co-management schemes, which have been developed.

Planning

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will call in the planning applications by ALBA Resource Recovery Ltd in respect of (a) Westfield in Fife and (b) Killoch in Ayrshire.

Hugh Henry: The planning application for the Westfield site was refused by Fife Council in September. The applicant has since lodged an appeal against the council’s decision and this will be heard by the Scottish Executive Inquiry Reporters Unit in due course.

  The Killoch proposal has not been notified to the Scottish ministers. Should it be referred under planning legislation, the Scottish ministers will take all relevant factors into account before deciding on whether or not to call in the application.

Population

Mr Duncan Hamilton (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what it is doing to reverse the population decline in the Western Isles.

Ross Finnie: We are committed to tackling the causes of population decline in the Western Isles, and throughout rural Scotland, through initiatives to support rural economic development, tackle social exclusion and improve access to services. In the Western Isles, Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) and Western Isles Enterprise are supporting economic development. The Comhairle, HIE and the Local Enterprise Company, and the health board are all working together with communities and the voluntary sector, through the community planning process, to tackle exclusion and improve service delivery.

Prison Service

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much public sector expenditure in total there has been on monitoring, running and supporting HM Prison Kilmarnock.

Mr Jim Wallace: The total cost to the Scottish Prison Service has been in the region of £46 million from 1999 to date.

  The Scottish Executive does not hold details of any local authority expenditure in relation to HM Prison Kilmarnock.

Prison Service

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the ministerial statement on the prison estates review by the Deputy First Minister and Minister for Justice on 5 September 2002, what specific steps he is taking to improve the management of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS).

Mr Jim Wallace: My statement to Parliament on 5 September ( Official Report ,   cols. 13371 to 13375) referred to a number of developments intended to improve performance management, effectiveness and best value in the prison service. These include the Partnership Agreement reached between the SPS and its trades unions, record investment in the public sector estate and work to introduce published performance agreements for publicly run prisons.

Prison Service

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what conclusions the Deputy First Minister and Minister for Justice has drawn from his visit to HM Prison Aberdeen.

Mr Jim Wallace: I was impressed by the dedication of the Governor and her new team who are having to deal with large prisoner numbers and help tackle a serious drug problem in the area.

  I was pleased to learn that the staffing complement at Aberdeen has been increased by five officers to take account of escort demands and the need to balance the sick variable which has been traditionally very low in Aberdeen and fell short of that required to meet current demands. Further measures have been taken to recruit staff and four officers will commence duty in November. Any shortfall in staff is being countered by the ability to offer special payments to existing prison staff. This provides a flexible and effective method of dealing with the unpredictable demands associated with court appearances and hospital guards.

  I was encouraged by the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) plans to improve the health centre as part of a carefully constructed development plan for the whole work on which the SPS have under way. Plans for a new visit facility are under active consideration. Additionally, formulation of a development plan for the prison has commenced and will ensure that any future building work takes account of the projected prisoner population.

Prison Service

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will place in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre the strategic development plan and any revisions thereof it has received, as referred to in paragraph 31.1 of the Minute of Agreement Between the Secretary of State for Scotland and Kilmarnock Prison Services Ltd for the Design, Construction, Management and Financing of a Prison at Kilmarnock .

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:

  The SPS has had discussions with Kilmarnock Prison Services Limited who have agreed to publish a synopsis of the strategic development plan covering the main aims and objectives. This will be placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre.

Prison Service

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what estimate it has made of any extra costs per prisoner place when prisoners are doubled-up in cells at HM Prison (a) Barlinnie, (b) Edinburgh, (c) Greenock and (d) Kilmarnock.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-30370 on 28 October 2002. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Prison Service

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many prisoner places there will be in each prison in each of the next 10 years.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Scottish Prison Service Estates Review analysed the future supply of prisoner places and set out options for meeting the projected shortfall of supply against demand. My statement on 5 September set out the Executive’s decisions in relation to new prisons and investment in existing prisons. The Scottish Prison Service is currently modelling the detailed effect of these decisions on the supply of prisoner places. It is not possible, however, to say how many places there will be in each prison in each of the next 10 years since this depends on future operational decisions and factors such as the time taken to obtain planning permission, the need for and availability of suitable alternative accommodation during refurbishment and changes in the total and composition of the prisoner population.

Prison Service

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has paid for prisoner places that were not filled at HM Prison Kilmarnock in each of the last three years.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  





£000 
  



1999-2000 
  

78 
  



2000-01 
  

27 
  



2001-02 
  

Nil

Prison Service

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-28707 by Mr Jim Wallace on 4 October 2002, what the percentage of positive in-prison mandatory drugs tests was for each prison in (a) 1999-2000, (b) 2000-01 and (c) 2001-02, broken down by the drug types detailed in that answer.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  1999-2000

  

 

Amphetamines 


Benzodiaze-pines 


Cannabis 


Cocaine 


Methadone 


Opiates 


Temgesic 



 Aberdeen 

0 


1 


3 


0 


0 


7 


0 



 Barlinnie 

0 


2 


3 


0 


0 


8 


0 



 Castle Huntly 

0 


3 


11 


1 


0 


6 


1 



 Cornton Vale 

0 


6 


2 


0 


0 


11 


0 



 Dumfries 

0 


3 


11 


0 


0 


8 


1 



 Dungavel 

0 


3 


2 


0 


0 


2 


3 



 Edinburgh 

0 


3 


11 


1 


1 


9 


2 



 Friarton 

0 


3 


26 


0 


0 


4 


0 



 Glenochil Prison 

0 


1 


11 


0 


0 


16 


1 



 Glenochil YOI 

0 


0 


6 


0 


0 


1 


0 



 Greenock 

0 


2 


5 


0 


0 


5 


1 



 Inverness 

0 


0 


17 


0 


0 


1 


0 



 Kilmarnock 

0 


8 


20 


0 


0 


13 


1 



 Longriggend 

1 


9 


28 


0 


0 


7 


0 



 Low Moss 

0 


2 


6 


0 


0 


8 


0 



 NIC 

0 


3 


17 


0 


0 


12 


0 



 Noranside 

0 


0 


6 


1 


0 


3 


3 



 Penninghame 

0 


0 


1 


1 


0 


3 


3 



 Perth 

0 


4 


13 


0 


0 


11 


2 



 Peterhead 

0 


0 


5 


0 


0 


1 


0 



 Peterhead Unit 

0 


14 


43 


0 


0 


29 


0 



 Polmont 

0 


1 


9 


0 


0 


4 


0 



 Shotts 

0 


1 


10 


0 


0 


20 


3 



 Shotts unit 

0 


8 


67 


0 


0 


8 


0 




  2000-01

  


 


Amphetamines 


Barbiturates 


Benzodiaz-epines 


Cannabis 


Cocaine 


Methadone 


Opiates 


Temgesic 



 Aberdeen 

1 


0 


2 


4 


0 


0 


16 


1 



 Barlinnie 

0 


0 


2 


1 


0 


0 


8 


0 



 Castle Huntly 

1 


1 


1 


3 


1 


0 


12 


2 



 Cornton Vale 

1 


0 


1 


1 


0 


0 


11 


1 



 Dumfries 

1 


0 


1 


10 


0 


0 


6 


0 



 Edinburgh 

0 


0 


1 


9 


0 


0 


14 


2 



 Glenochil Prison 

0 


0 


2 


5 


0 


0 


12 


2 



 Glenochil YOI 

1 


0 


2 


6 


0 


0 


0 


0 



 Greenock 

0 


0 


2 


1 


0 


0 


14 


1 



 Inverness 

1 


0 


4 


23 


0 


1 


4 


0 



 Kilmarnock 

0 


0 


1 


9 


0 


0 


16 


2 



 Low Moss 

1 


0 


2 


10 


0 


0 


16 


0 



 NIC 

0 


0 


0 


8 


0 


0 


10 


0 



 Noranside 

0 


0 


0 


2 


0 


1 


5 


2 



 Perth 

0 


0 


4 


9 


0 


0 


13 


4 



 Peterhead 

0 


0 


0 


4 


0 


0 


0 


0 



 Polmont 

0 


0 


1 


8 


0 


0 


3 


0 



 Shotts 

0 


0 


1 


12 


0 


0 


23 


6 



 Shotts unit 

0 


0 


0 


17 


0 


0 


0 


0 




  2001-02

  

 

Amphetamines 


Barbiturates 


Benzodia-zepines 


Cannabis 


Cocaine 


Methadone 


Opiates 


Temgesic 



 Aberdeen 

0 


0 


2 


8 


1 


0 


21 


2 



 Barlinnie 

0 


0 


1 


2 


0 


0 


6 


0 



 Castle Huntly 

1 


0 


1 


8 


1 


1 


8 


0 



 Cornton Vale 

1 


0 


1 


2 


0 


0 


10 


0 



 Dumfries 

1 


0 


1 


1 


0 


0 


6 


0 



 Edinburgh 

0 


0 


2 


9 


0 


0 


17 


2 



 Glenochil Prison 

0 


0 


2 


3 


0 


1 


14 


2 



 Glenochil YOI 

2 


0 


0 


6 


0 


3 


3 


0 



 Greenock 

1 


0 


1 


2 


0 


0 


19 


1 



 Inverness 

0 


0 


1 


15 


0 


1 


9 


1 



 Kilmarnock 

1 


0 


3 


8 


1 


1 


20 


7 



 Low Moss 

1 


0 


2 


12 


1 


1 


22 


1 



 Noranside 

0 


0 


1 


6 


2 


0 


12 


1 



 Perth 

0 


0 


1 


10 


0 


1 


12 


1 



 Peterhead 

0 


0 


0 


7 


0 


0 


1 


0 



 Polmont 

1 


0 


2 


5 


0 


0 


3 


0 



 Shotts 

1 


0 


2 


9 


1 


0 


30 


6

Public Transport

Mr John Home Robertson (East Lothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it is making in promoting the use of public transport.

Lewis Macdonald: The Executive has made progress in promoting the use of public transport in a number of ways. The introduction on 30 September of free local bus travel for pensioners and disabled people outwith the morning peak makes public transport more accessible and affordable to many. The Executive continues to provide support for improvements through the Public Transport Fund, with £175 million-going to 79 projects. On 18 September I launched Traveline Scotland, a telephone enquiry service providing timetable and journey planning information. The travel awareness campaign Learn to Let Go which is now in its second year has raised levels of public awareness.

Regulation of Care (Fees) (Scotland) Order 2002

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Care Commission always charges independent health care services the maximum fee of £510 as detailed in the schedule to the Regulation of Care (Fees) (Scotland) Order 2002 in respect of the variation of removal of condition.

Mr Frank McAveety: The setting of fees within the maxima specified in the Fees Order is an operational matter for the Care Commission. In setting fees, the Regulation of Care (Scotland) Act requires the commission to have regard to its reasonable expenses in carrying out its functions under the act.

Roads

Mr Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has reviewed plans made by BEAR Scotland Ltd for winter road maintenance in the Highlands.

Lewis Macdonald: Yes. Bear’s Winter Maintenance Plans have been reviewed by the Performance Audit Group and agreed by the Scottish Executive.

Roads

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans exist for the construction of a stacking lane at Rathen near Fraserburgh on the A92.

Lewis Macdonald: There are no current plans for improvement works at the Rathen junction on the A90 (formerly the A92). However, in view of local concerns, BEAR Scotland Ltd has been asked to carry out a review of road safety at this location.

School Meals

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which recommendations made by the expert panel on school meals it has accepted in full and how much funding has been provided for the implementation of each such recommendation.

Nicol Stephen: The panel is currently consulting on the recommendations within its interim report and will consider all responses before submitting a final report. We will consider what action to take once we receive the panel’s final report later this year.

Schools

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-28041 by Nicol Stephen on 27 August 2002, whether it will list the 14 new public sector schools completed between April 1999 and March 2001 that were not funded by public private partnership or private finance initiative.

Nicol Stephen: The 14 schools are Charleston Primary School (Aberdeen), Rosemount Primary School (Angus), Auchinleck Primary School (East Ayrshire), Eaglesham Nursery (East Renfrewshire), Ullapool High School (Highland), Gourock Primary School (Inverclyde), Beith Primary School (North Ayrshire), Lawthorn Primary School (North Ayrshire), Alexander Peden Primary School (North Lanarkshire), Shottskirk Nursery (North Lanarkshire), Stow Primary School (Scottish Borders), Dundonald Primary School (South Ayrshire), Doune Nursery (Stirling) and Garshake Nursery (West Dunbartonshire).

Schools

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-28041 by Nicol Stephen on 27 August 2002, what the (a) starting date, (b) cost, (c) date of completion and (d) school roll in the year of completion was for each new public sector school completed between April 1999 and March 2001.

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many public sector schools are currently undertaking redevelopment or rebuild projects and how many such projects are being funded by public private partnerships or private finance initiatives.

Nicol Stephen: The information requested is not held centrally.

Schools

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to section 2.4 of Working together for Scotland: A Programme for Government , what progress has been made towards achieving the aim to support pilot future school projects, giving details of any such projects currently planned or under way.

Nicol Stephen: Details of pilot future school projects supported by the Executive will be published shortly, in line with our commitment in Working together for Scotland: A Programme for Government .

Scottish Executive Finance

Andrew Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-28656 by Mr Andy Kerr on 23 September 2002, what its definition is of audit.

Mr Andy Kerr: In the context of the answer given to question S1W-28656, the term "audit" is defined as a review of the Scottish Executive Security Branch’s systems and procedures by the Scottish Executive Audit Services or Audit Scotland.

Scottish Executive Websites

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much it cost to establish its Older People's website and what the annual operating costs are of the site.

Mr Frank McAveety: The costs of establishing and maintaining the site are being met from within existing departmental running costs and thus have not given rise to any additional cost.

Social Justice

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with financial organisations regarding the impact of irresponsible lending practices on social justice issues.

Ms Margaret Curran: As the member will be aware, the legislation governing irresponsible lending is reserved. However, we are in regular contact with a range of financial organisations such as the Committee of Scottish Clearing Bankers and the Scottish Credit Union movement, with whom we discuss a range of social and financial inclusion issues.

Social Work

Scott Barrie (Dunfermline West) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to improve the recruitment of social workers.

Cathy Jamieson: I launched the National Recruitment and Awareness Campaign on 22 October. This aims to raise the profile of social care and social work and to highlight the range of career options available. The campaign is a key part of a sustained commitment to ensuring a confident and competent social services workforce which can meet the demands placed upon it.

Teachers

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with local authorities in regard to any difficulties that are being experienced in funding the terms and conditions for teachers as agreed under the McCrone settlement.

Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive has regular discussions with COSLA, the body which represents Scotland's local authorities in relation to these issues.

  The Scottish Executive has more than met it's commitment to fund the agreement A Teaching Profession for the 21st Century in full. The total costs of the package and the distribution between councils were agreed, in writing, with COSLA.

Teachers

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many days have been lost on average because of ill health amongst public sector teachers in each year since 1995, broken down by local authority.

Nicol Stephen: The information requested is not held centrally.

  The management of teacher absence and the causes of absence are matters for individual local authorities as employers. However, Scottish local authorities provide Audit Scotland with information on sickness absence levels among local government staff, including teachers. Table 6b of its most recent report entitled Performance Indicators 2000/2001: Benefits, Finance & Corporate Issues, published on 24 January 2002, contains comparative data for 1999-2000 and 2000-01 and can be accessed at: http://www.audit-scotland.gov.uk/publications/pdf/02pi04ac.pdf.

Teachers

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many newly-qualified or probationary teachers did not enter employment in a public sector secondary school in August in each year since 1995.

Nicol Stephen: The information requested is not held centrally.

  However, Table 20 of the Standard Tables on Higher Education and Further Education in Scotland 1995-96 to 2000-01 published on 26 September contains information on the first destinations of newly trained teachers and can be accessed at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/bulletins/00196-20.asp.

Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997

George Lyon (Argyll and Bute) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is an appeal mechanism to inquire into the reasons for the failure of a local authority to follow planning guidelines relating to planning obligations required through agreements entered into under section 75 of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 and what the reasons are for the position on this matter.

Hugh Henry: There is no statutory appeal mechanism in planning legislation relating to planning agreements under section 75 of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997. It is for the person(s) with an interest in the land in question (insofar as the interest of that person enables him/her to bind the land) and the planning authority to "agree" the terms of any section 75 agreement.

  More generally, complaints about the actions of planning authorities can be pursued with the relevant Council Monitoring Officer, the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman and/or through the courts as appropriate.

Transport

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the First Minister what steps the Scottish Executive is taking to ensure minimal disruption of road, rail and ferry services by adverse weather conditions this winter.

Mr Jack McConnell: I have been concerned for some time about this issue. Yesterday Cabinet agreed to establish a Cabinet Sub-committee on flooding to be chaired by the Deputy First Minister.

  The committee will meet soon and will consider what additional steps can be taken to minimise disruption in both the short- and long-term.

Victim Support

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what arrangements are in place to notify the victims and their families when a person (a) charged with and (b) convicted of (i) serious assault, (ii) rape, (iii) culpable homicide and (iv) murder is granted bail and what plans it has to issue guidance or directions on this issue.

Mrs Elish Angiolini: As part of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service Victim Information and Assistance arrangements (VIA), victims are notified by first class post, usually on the same day that the court grants bail. Where special conditions have been applied to the bail order (for example, to stay away from the victim or from a particular place), the victim is telephoned with the information and that is followed up with a letter enclosing a copy of the bail order. If the victim cannot be contacted by telephone, there are arrangements under which the police try to find the victim and provide the information, reporting back to VIA on the action they have taken. VIA provides information up to the conclusion of the case, including any appeal.

  In areas in which VIA does not yet operate, procurators fiscal and police forces pass information to victims under local arrangements.